Denis Kang vs. Paulo Filho
The fight ended in a controversial split draw. The Fight The first round began and they touched gloves. Four thirty-five. Four fifteen. Filho shot for a single and laid down. Kang stood over him and landed a right and a left. Four minutes. Kang landed some good body shots. Filho looked comfortable and impassive. Three thirty-five. Kang passed to half-guard. Three fifteen. Kang landed some more body shots and a left hand. Three minutes. Kang landed some more body shots. Two thirty-five. Kang landed a pair of left hands. Two fifteen. Kang landed some more body shots. Two minutes. One thirty-five. The referee wanted Kang to improve. Kang worked for an arm triangle. Filho defended easily. One fifteen. Kang landed a nice body elbow. Another one and another one. One minute. The referee wanted Kang to work. The crowd booed. Thirty-five as Kang was defending the sweep. Filho tried to escape out the back door, Kang defended and passed to side control nicely. Filho regained half-guard with fifteen. The first round ended. The second round began and they touched gloves. They clinched and Kang got a trip to half-guard. Kang landed a left hand. They stood and broke. Four thirty-five as Filho landed a good right hook and they clinched. Filho worked for a single and got it putting Filho on his bottom. Four fifteen. Filho passed to half-guard. Four minutes. Filho was really working the instep pass. And shoulder pressure. Three thirty-five. Three fifteen. Filho elbowed the body. He landed a good right elbow. Three minutes. Filho mounted with two thirty-five. Two fifteen. Two minutes. The ref wanted work. Kang wall-walked out and turned on top to guard. One thirty-five. Kang landed a nice left elbow. One fifteen. He landed another partially blocked left elbow, and another. One minute. The ref wanted work from Kang. Kang stood. He came down to half-guard with a nice right hand. Kang landed a pair of pitterpatter rights. Thirty-five remaining. Kang landed five or six rights in under, pitterpatter shots. Fifteen. The second round came to an end. The third round began. They exchanged in close. Filho got a nice double and put Kang on his buttocks there. Four thirty-five. Filho passed to half-guard. Filho landed eight good body shots. Four fifteen remaining. Filho had a lot of shoulder pressure. Kang was breathing hard. Four minutes. Kang swept beautifully on top to half-guard. He had the back. He had one hook, he had both. They scrambled, Filho was on top to side control with three thirty-five. Great grappling battle. Three fifteen. Filho landed a big audible left hammerfist. Kang gave up the back with three minutes. Filho worked for the hooks. He had both. Two thirty-five. The ref wanted work. Kang turned to guard. He landed a pair of lefts in under as they stood and broke. Filho stuffed a double and turtled Kang up. Two fifteen. Filho turned to take the back. Kang stood with the standing back. Kang went to his knees. Two minutes as Kang turned for a kneebar and a heelhook. Filho spun out to guard nicely. He passed to half-guard. Kang worked for a kimura from the bottom. One thirty-five. Kang nearly had it out. Filho's nose was bloody. Kang regained guard. One fifteen. One minute. Filho passed to half-guard, Kang yanked out the kimura. Filho was defending. Thirty-five. Kang briefly had it out but lost it. He kept trying. He lost it again. Fifteen. The third round ended. Both fighters paced, raising their hands. 29-28 Filho, 30-27 Kang, 29-29 for a split draw decision. The crowd booed.